Today’s Forecast

69º Scattered showers | 42% chance of rain | Sunrise 5:42 a.m. | Sunset 8:06 p.m.

🎶 ‘Wide Open Spaces’

Head outside with a guide to Madison’s parks

A sunset photo with a sailboat on a lake.

There are a multitude of lakefront parks in Madison to soak in beauty. | Photo by 608today | Jonathan Shipley

Whether you’re looking for a place to play with your kiddos or to decompress with off-screen time, the 608 features nearly 250 parks for you to enjoy. Ready to plan your trip to the park? Grab your shades and Stanley Tumbler — here are some of Madison’s best:

Conservation Parks

Prairie Ridge, 2406 Berkley Dr.
This is referred to as a “goat prairie” due to some challenging terrain that only goats would be able to traverse.

Turville Point, 1202 Olin-Turville Ct.
This park’s landscape is dominated by large red, bur, and white oak trees, which create a lush canopy under which spring wildflowers bloom.

Dogs are prohibited at all Madison conservation parks.

Sports parks

Hiestand, 4302 Milwaukee St.
Parkgoers can partake in disc golf during the spring and fall seasons.

Garner, 333 S. Rosa Rd.
Spanning 42 acres, the park features pickleball courts, a scenic viewpoint, and the award-winning Garner Park shelter.

608 Garner Park — The award-winning Garner Park shelter is a coveted event space. | Photo by Guillaume Ratel

Organized groups may reserve these fields for their league play using the online reservation system.

Off-leash dog parks

Brittingham, 326 S. Broom St.
Adjacent to a basketball and tennis court at the John Nolen entry to the isthmus, this small park offers synthetic turf and a doggy drinking fountain.

McCormick, 702 N. McCormick Ave.
This mini dog park in the Eken Park neighborhood is the perfect place to give your city-slicker pup a spot to get the zoomies out.

A dog permit is required to enter any dog-specific or dogs-allowed Madison parks.

Historical parks

Bernard-Hoover Boathouse at James Madison, 622-1/2 E. Gorham St.
The James Bernard-Hoover Boathouse at James Madison Park is a relic of Charles Bernard’s boat rental business, founded in 1855. The boathouse, built in 1915, is now one of the only physical reminders of the early days of pleasure boating in Madison.

608 James Madison — James Madison is a hot spot for sunset lovers. | Photo by @wildrway

Native American mounds, various locations
Bear Mound, Burrows, and Hudson are a few local parks that feature preserved Native American mounds. These historic landmarks date back to roughly 700-1200 AD.

Ready to visit these local parks but don’t know where to start? We’ve created this handy map so you can find all of these featured parks.

More parks

Asked

What is your favorite park activity to do in Madison?

A. Walking my dog
B. Spending time with the kiddos
C. Having a picnic
D. Jogging or working out

Answer here

Events

Monday, May 8

The Yahara Strummers | Monday, May 8 | 3-4 p.m. | Stoughton Opera House, 381 E. Main St., Stoughton | Free | Directed by Ann Sawyer, this local ukulele group’s performance is part of the opera house’s Music Appreciation Series.

Tuesday, May 9

Gay, Gray & Beyond | Tuesday, May 9 | 2-4 p.m. | Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St., Madison | Free | Members of the LGBTQ+ community are invited to get together with the LGBTQ 50+ Alliance for discussion on the nature of our ever-changing world.
Badger Talks Happy Hour: “Title IX” | Tuesday, May 9 | 5:30-7 p.m. | The Madison Club, 5 E. Wilson St., Madison | $18 | Enjoy cocktails, appetizers, and conversation with Katie Smith, who will be discussing the 50th Anniversary of Title IX.

Wednesday, May 10

David Cross | Wednesday, May 10 | 8 p.m. | The Barrymore Theatre, 2090 Atwood Ave., Madison | $36-$165 | Any other “Arrested Development” fans out there? Don’t miss comedian and actor David Cross with special guest Sean Patton.
One-On-One Computer Assistance | Wednesday, May 10 | 4-6 p.m. | Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin St., Madison | Free | Stop by Room 211 for assistance with opening an email account, writing a Word document, navigating the internet, keeping your files safe, and more.

Thursday, May 11

Trivia Night | Thursday, May. 11 | 7-9 p.m. | Madison’s, 119 King St., Madison | Free | Buzz into this general knowledge trivia game with gift cards for winners.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Open

The Monona Farmers’ Market kicked off its 20th season this past weekend. The market is open every Sunday from May through October, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Check out our farmers’ market guide for more local shopping sprees. (Channel 3000)

Seasonal

Allergist Dr. Mark Moss at UW Health recommends locals with seasonal allergies keep their windows closed, use A/C, and wear pollen masks while doing yard work. UW Health encourages people to seek treatment and management plans early in the season. (WKOW)

Transit

The Merrimac Ferry is now open. The state’s only free ferry has been closed due to mechanical issues, but now travelers are welcome to cross the Wisconsin River from Columbia and Sauk counties through November. (NBC 15)

State

Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin Annie Heathcote will use a $2,500 grant from Sauk Prairie Healthcare Foundation to travel around the state and raise awareness for people with disabilities. The grant also helps fund her fees for Ms. Wheelchair America in August. (WKOW)

Drink

Hint is the water that actually makes us want to drink water. Shop from their top sellers + online exclusive flavors and get 45% off three cases for just $36. (That’s $1 per bottle plus free shipping.) Just use code 6AMCITY.*

Shop

She doesn’t need another bouquet of flowers — give mom the gift of learning a new language instead. Bonus: Get 55% off.*
It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and we’re helping you choose the perfect gift for your favorite educators. Show them love with Marble and Steel Craft Chocolates or a handwritten note using a Joy Paper Co. card.

Civic

City

Organized events in Madison parks

There are 70+ picnic shelters and pavilions throughout Madison’s park systems waiting to be utilized. | Photo by RENEW WI

Now that we’ve checked out a few local parks, it’s time to plan out the summer. Here are a few options on how to maximize your time spent outside by organizing a Madison park event.

Community gatherings — Apply today to gather no more than 250 of your closest friends for a neighborhood summer bash.

Rallies — As long as your group doesn’t disrupt any previously-booked park reservations, you’re free to rally, no permit required.

Special events — If you plan on vending, charging admission, raising money, or advertising your event publicly, you’ll need a special event permit to use a park.

Open space use — If you will not be doing any of the special event criteria, you can apply to reserve a section of your fave park to gather up to 200 people.

Photo shoots — You’ll only need a permit for your photo/video shoots if you’ll be putting up temporary structures, using a shelter or athletic field, or amplifying sound. However, a permit is required for all commercial shoots.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Ally

From the editor

I love the abundance of parks in the Madison area. Not only are there plenty of options for outdoor excursions, but they’re always pretty busy which makes for great people-watching (one of my favorite hobbies).

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